Nutrition specialist Cynthia Stadd says that food, in addition to being a source of nourishment, affects your blood, cells and hormones. Therefore, your diet can either help or hinder your chances of conceiving. Iron-rich foods, complex carbohydrates, omega-3 fatty acids and superfoods can all improve your fertility. Excessive amounts of coffee and beverages containing caffeine, diary, sugar, processed and fatty foods can inhibit fertility.
Iron-Rich Foods
Spinach, kale, apricots, beans, lentils and prunes are all examples of non-heme (non-animal sources) iron-rich foods which, according to the website Shared Journey, enhance your fertility and prevent the development of ovulatory infertility. Ovulatory infertility is a condition that leaves the body unable to produce healthy eggs. Although a diet rich in nonheme iron may prevent ovulatory infertility, heme iron--found in red meats, chicken and salmon--may increase the chances of the egg's developing.
Complex Carbohydrates
Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, can cause infertility, but changes to your diet can greatly improve your fertility. According to Everyday Health, simple carbohydrates, such as white bread, rice and sugar, trigger insulin resistance, causing hormonal fluctuations and irregularities in your menstrual and ovulation cycles. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, brown rice and oatmeal, on the other hand, have less of an effect on insulin levels. Additionally, the body digests complex carbohydrates at a much slower rate, compared with carbohydrates in highly refined foods, helping your body sustain energy levels throughout the day.
Superfoods
Superfoods are called so because they are exceptionally rich in nutrients and can help prevent the development of diseases, while promoting optimal health and wellbeing. According to a CBS News article, superfoods may enhance fertility in men and women and in some cases increase libido. Yam, which is a root vegetable grown in Asia, Africa and Latin America, is considered a superfood and has anti-estrogen properties, which, according to the article, may cause the brain to react to an imagined loss of estrogen and trick the body into producing more.
Dark leafy greens, blackberries and blueberries are rich in folic acid, an essential vitamin for women attempting to conceive and maintain healthy pregnancies. Folic acid lowers the incidence of birth defects and improves the quality of the egg and sperm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 400 mcg of folic acid before and through the duration of pregnancy. Eggs also contain folic acid and protein essential for the development of the growing fetus.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids, according to a Natural News article, may prevent infertility in males. During the process of a 2010 study, carried out by the University of Illinois, scientists noticed infertility and low sperm count in male mice, deficient in DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid. DHA is an omega-3, produced in the body from alpha linolenic acids found in vegetable oils, canola and soybean oils. When the mice were given DHA, their sperm returned to normal and fertility was restored.
Bella Online highlighted the importance of omega-3 fish oil for fertility in women in an article. Fish oil regulates hormones and increases the flow of blood to the uterus, according to the article, to increase fertility. Salmon, sardines, mackerel and other oily type fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
References
- Baby Center: Fertility Diet--The Nutrients You Need to Conceive
- Shared Journey: Fertility and Iron Supplements--How Low Iron Consumption Affects Female Fertility
- Everyday Health: Foods That Make You Fertile--Pregnancy Center
- CBS News: Six Fertility Superfoods and 5 Foods to avoid
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Folic Acid--What Should You Know?
